What Might Have Been...World Series Between Cubs/Sox

The Cubs and Red Sox barely fell short, but who would have won had they played?

By Paul Sullivan
Chicago Tribune staff reporter

We'll never know what would have happened if the Cubs and the Boston Red Sox had made it to the 2003 World Series instead of the New York Yankees and the Florida Marlins.

Both losers were five outs from getting there, but both lost three-run leads as their dream seasons turned into dueling nightmares.

In lieu of flowers, we offer this fantasy scenario of the Woulda, Coulda, Shoulda World Series of 2003—Cubs vs. Red Sox:

Game 1

Starting pitchers: Matt Clement vs. Tim Wakefield at Fenway Park.

In a wild opener, the Cubs take a 4-0 lead in the first on Aramis Ramirez's grand slam and lead 6-3 in the seventh when Boston loads the bases off Clement with no one out. Manager Dusty Baker brings in Kyle Farnsworth, who strikes out the first two men he faces before Bill Mueller's grand slam wraps around the Pesky Pole in right to put the Red Sox ahead 7-6.

But the Cubs tie it with one out in the ninth on Sammy Sosa's shot over the Green Monster and take an 8-7 lead in the 10th on Moises Alou's sacrifice fly after a Kenny Lofton triple. Joe Borowski shuts the door after walking Trot Nixon to start the 10th as the Cubs steal home-field advantage.

"Enough with the talk about curses," Baker says. "These two clubs can play—big-time."

Final score: Cubs 8, Red Sox 7 (10 innings)

Series: Cubs lead 1-0

Game 2

Starting pitchers: Mark Prior vs. Derek Lowe at Fenway Park.

After a 1½-hour rain delay, the game remains scoreless into the eighth inning when Prior walks Nomar Garciaparra with one out. Prior gets Manny Ramirez looking at a called third strike for the second out, but with his starter at 130 pitches, Baker brings in left-hander Mike Remlinger to face David Ortiz. Remlinger walks Ortiz to put two on, and Alex Gonzalez's error loads the bases for Nixon.

Nixon lines one between Sosa and Lofton in right-center and the ball rolls all the way to the warning track as all three runners score. Lowe becomes the first pitcher to throw a complete-game shutout against the Cubs in a World Series since the Red Sox's Babe Ruth outdueled Hippo Vaughn in Game 1 of the 1918 Series. But the Cubs feel confident returning to Chicago with a split.

"Feel free to believe in us," Remlinger says.

Final score: Red Sox 3, Cubs 0

Series: Tied at 1-1

Game 3

Starting pitchers: Pedro Martinez vs. Kerry Wood at Wrigley Field.

The series heats up when Martinez plunks Sosa in the back with two outs in the fourth inning of a scoreless game, causing Sosa to wave his bat at his friend as both dugouts empty. Both clubs are issued warnings by plate umpire Mike Reilly, but Baker and Boston manager Grady Little engage in some not-so-friendly banter from their respective dugouts, shown on split-screen on the Fox telecast.

Gonzalez's homer in the fifth gives the Cubs a 1-0 lead, and Wood hits Martinez in the knee leading off the sixth, leading to the ejections of Wood and Baker and increasing the hostility level. Mark Guthrie replaces Wood and gets extra warmup time, but Johnny Damon homers onto Sheffield Avenue to put Boston ahead 2-1. Trailing 3-1 with two outs in the ninth, Alou homers off Mike Timlin and Ramirez doubles on an 0-2 pitch. Pinch-runner Doug Glanville tries to score on Eric Karros' pinch single to center off Alan Embree, but Damon's perfect throw nails Glanville, ending the game.

"It wasn't meant to be," Baker says. "But we have faith in Carlos [Zambrano]."

Final score: Red Sox 3, Cubs 2

Series: Red Sox lead 2-1

Game 4

Starting pitchers: John Burkett vs. Carlos Zambrano at Wrigley Field.

Zambrano pumps his fists wildly after striking out the side in the first, but the Cubs' offense is silent again, failing to give him run support. Manny Ramirez's three-run homer in the sixth gives the Red Sox a 3-0 lead, and Antonio Alfonseca gives up three in the seventh to make it 6-0. The Cubs come back with two in the eighth on back-to-back homers by Randall Simon and Aramis Ramirez and pull within two in the ninth on Lofton's two-run double.

But with runners on second and third and two outs, Little opts to let Scott Williamson face Sosa rather than issue an intentional walk. Sosa drives one to deepest center, sending Damon on his horse. Damon disappears into the red ivy but comes out with the ball to seal the victory for the Red Sox.

"Gladiators never say die," Sosa says.

Final score: Red Sox 6, Cubs 4

Series: Red Sox lead 3-1

Game 5

Starting pitchers: Wakefield vs. Clement at Wrigley Field.

Wrigley is quiet as a library before Game 5, while talk-show hosts rip Baker for not starting Prior on three days' rest. But Lofton singles leading off, steals second and third and scores on Sosa's sacrifice fly, giving the Cubs an early lead. Clement takes a 2-0 lead into the eighth and Baker leaves him in with two outs and two on instead of bringing in Remlinger to face Todd Walker. Walker's double ties the game, and Garciaparra's RBI single off Borowski gives Boston a 3-2 lead.

But with a runner on second and one out in the eighth, Mark Grudzielanek gets a second chance when a fan in a White Sox cap interferes with a catchable foul ball down the left-field line. Left fielder Manny Ramirez and Little go crazy, but left-field umpire Justin Klemm rules there was no interference. After a Wakefield wild pitch on a walk to Grudzielanek, Sosa's RBI single ties the game. After Garciaparra boots Alou's potential double-play grounder, Aramis Ramirez's sacrifice fly gives the Cubs the lead. They go on to score six more times in the eight-run eighth, staying alive for at least one more game.

The hapless White Sox fan who interfered with the foul ball is hailed as the architect of the game-turning rally.

"I'd like to buy that guy a beer," Alou says.

Final score: Cubs 10, Red Sox 3

Series: Red Sox lead 3-2

Game 6

Starting pitchers: Prior vs. Lowe at Fenway Park.

Another classic duel between the Game 2 starters, who hold the opposition scoreless before giving way to their bullpens in the 10th. With two outs and a full count, Sosa hits an arching fly toward the left-field foul pole and begins waving his arms for the ball to stay fair, while hopping at the same time. It does, and the Cubs lead 1-0. Borowski loads the bases with one out in the 10th but strikes out Garciaparra and induces Manny Ramirez to ground into a game-ending force at second, forcing a Game 7.

"Like Too Short says, it's time for us to get that cheese," Baker says.

Final score: Cubs 1, Red Sox 0 (10 innings)

Series: Tied 3-3

Game 7

Starting pitchers: Wood vs. Martinez at Fenway Park.

It's the World Series matchup of the century—Wood vs. Martinez in Game 7 at Fenway Park. Can it get any better?

Wood's solo homer breaks up Martinez's perfect game with two outs in the sixth, but the Red Sox tie it in the seventh when Nixon's line drive bangs off the Pesky Pole in right. Remlinger enters in the 10th and strands the bases loaded, and the Cubs leave the bases loaded against Embree in the 11th. Both teams use up most of their pitching staffs, leaving Alfonseca and Todd Jones to pitch in the 18th. With runners on second and third and two outs, Sosa's grounder to first goes right through Ortiz's legs, bringing home two runs to give the Cubs a 3-1 lead.

Alfonseca enters in the 18th with the Cubs three outs from winning their first world championship since 1908. But with a full count, Mueller's two-out, three-run, opposite-field homer over the Green Monster delivers the Red Sox to their first world title since 1918, setting off pandemonium in Boston.

"If I ever find that goat …" Baker says, his voice trailing off.

Final score: Red Sox 4, Cubs 3 (18 innings)

Series: Red Sox win series 4-3

 

one problem, Wood wouldn't be batting at Fenway due to the DH.

 

blah blah blah blah...........

 

hell, the way he hit this postseason, maybe they wouldn't use the dh....